Sweden's brown bears, once nearly extinct, have seen a recovery to around 3,300 by 2008 due to conservation efforts. However, in 2024, the government controversially allowed the hunting of nearly 500 bears, reducing their population to about 2,400. Conservationists warn this could encourage trophy hunting. A conservation expedition led by Biosphere Expeditions aims to locate bear dens to minimize human-bear conflicts, emphasizing the importance of understanding bear habitats for effective conservation.